Berserk Collection. Serie Nera, Vol. 37

ベルセルク [Berserk] #37

by Kentaro Miura, Wakako Hirabuki (Translator), Gianluca Bevere (Translator)

Aiutato dalle sirene, Gatsu affronta l’abominevole Dio del Mare... E durante il viaggio alla volta di Skelig, scopriremo momenti cruciali del suo passato. Intanto, Rickert ed Erika giungono a Falconia, l’unica città al mondo dove gli uomini possono vivere al sicuro: lì i mostri che ora popolano la Terra non potranno raggiungerli!

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Comics, Horror, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Seinen

224 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2013

About the author

Kentarou Miura (三浦建太郎) was born in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, in 1966. He is left-handed. In 1976, at the early age of 10, Miura made his first Manga, entitled "Miuranger", that was published for his classmates in a school publication; the manga ended up spanning 40 volumes. In 1977, Miura created his second manga called Ken e no michi (剣への道 The Way to the Sword), using Indian ink for the first time. When he was in middle school in 1979, Miura's drawing techniques improved greatly as he started using professional drawing techniques. His first dōjinshi was published, with the help of friends, in a magazine in 1982.

That same year, in 1982, Miura enrolled in an artistic curriculum in high school, where he and his classmates started publishing their works in school booklets, as well as having his first dōjinshi published in a fan-produced magazine. In 1985, Miura applied for the entrance examination of an art college in Nihon University. He submitted Futanabi for examination and was granted admission. This project was later nominated Best New Author work in Weekly Shōnen Magazine. Another Miura manga Noa was published in Weekly Shōnen Magazine the very same year. Due to a disagreement with one of the editors, the manga was stalled and eventually dropped altogether. This is approximately where Miura's career hit a slump.

In 1988, Miura bounced back with a 48-page manga known as Berserk Prototype, as an introduction to the current Berserk fantasy world. It went on to win Miura a prize from the Comi Manga School. In 1989, after receiving a doctorate degree, Kentarou started a project titled King of Wolves (王狼, ōrō?) based on a script by Buronson, writer of Hokuto no Ken. It was published in the monthly Japanese Animal House magazine in issues 5 and 7 of that year.

In 1990, a sequel is made to Ourou entitled Ourou Den (王狼伝 ōrō den, The Legend of the Wolf King) that was published as a prequel to the original in Young Animal Magazine. In the same year, the 10th issue of Animal House witnesses the first volume of the solo project Berserk was released with a relatively limited success. Miura again collaborated with Buronson on manga titled Japan, that was published in Young Animal House from the 1st issue to the 8th of 1992, and was later released as a stand-alone tankōbon. Miura's fame grew after Berserk was serialized in Young Animal in 1992 with the release of "The Golden Age" story arc and the huge success of his masterpiece made of him one of the most prominent contemporary mangakas. At this time Miura dedicates himself solely to be working on Berserk. He has indicated, however, that he intends to publish more manga in the future.

In 1997, Miura supervised the production of 25 anime episodes of Berserk that aired in the same year on NTV. Various art books and supplemental materials by Miura based on Berserk are also released. In 1999, Miura made minor contributions to the Dreamcast video game Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage. 2004 saw the release of yet another video game adaptation entitled Berserk Millennium Falcon Arc: Chapter of the Record of the Holy Demon War.

Since that time, the Berserk manga has spanned 34 tankōbon with no end in sight. The series has also spawned a whole host of merchandise, both official and fan-made, ranging from statues, action figures to key rings, video games, and a trading card game. In 2002, Kentarou Miura received the second place in the Osamu Tezuka Culture Award of Excellence for Berserk.[1]

Miura provided the design for the Vocaloid Kamui Gakupo, whose voice is taken from the Japanese singer and actor, Gackt.

Miura passed away on May 6, 2021 at 2:48 p.m. due to acute aortic dissection.

Reviews

[Tawfek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Farnese: Ahh yes This is how the world is, It's like i only just noticed something that was in front of me all this time.

How true does this sound? how many of us have the solution to all their worries, and needs all that you ever wanted from life, and you are just blind to it, or you choose to be blind.
Farnese went through that process, learning about magic she started from scratch, from not being able to see elves to being able to use her astral form, and then do rituals, and heal wounds.
The last volume (for me since i will wait for the series to be done before i continue reading it)(2023 update : i think i will finish this in the next few days, my memory is refreshed thanks to reading the reviews again, hopefully it's an enjoyable experience after 5 years)
First Featured the rescue of Guts, and then the healing processes, and then yeah you guessed it the disappearance of the mysterious child one more time, the cutest shooting star in existence period.
Actually the kid riding upon that branch near the moon, reminded me of the last scene in a Russian Novel Master and Margareta when Pontius Pilate died, and found a road to the moon where Jesus was waiting for him, and they went together for a walk, i can't remember the scene perfectly but i think that's how it happened.
So back to the matter at hand, Shierke thinks this kid might be a manifestation of the elf king, come to check guts out, and his group before he welcomes them on the island.

Then we move to a blast from the past, an old story about Guts before he joins the band of the hawk.

The old Mercenary: Someday somewhere you might meet some war buddies, and for him... them. it'd be kind of worth it to put your life on the line for them.

Well at least that's what he said before he betrayed Guts lol!
Guts was captured in a war, where the mercenary band that he is part off lost, and is being sent to be used as hard labor, Where he meets this old man (who i come to hate later) who pretends to help guts to escape, and then uses Guts's escape as a distraction, and escapes himself Guts is then caught, and sent to a cell where he teaches us, that eating demonic tentacles isn't the baddest thing you can eat.

Poor rat.

Enters the prettiest elf we have seen so far, the flower spirit elf who heals Guts of all his wounds, thus helping him with his fight with the son of the castle lord.

And guts didn't miss the chance, of doing what everyone dreams of doing to people with cute cheeks lol!

Enters Rickert, and the daughter of the blacksmith, will Griffith recruit Rickert to his cause?
I think this would be a deathblow to Guts, since he was stupid enough to never tell Rickert what really happened, in the night of the eclipse.
And remember people this is how it all started, amazing journey i was glad to finish it, before the end of the year, as i have planned Thanks to everyone who was following my progress during this journey Love ❤

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as I saw someone reading Berserk on my feed, I was overcome with an overwhelming desire to pick up where I left off as I was reading this series. It generally takes a long time to add new episodes... like one a month, so it became a test of patience.

That's ISN'T to say this isn't a fantastic read. It very much was and is. The artwork is extremely detailed, rich, and the story is gut-wrenching, tragic, and as full of heart as it is full of pain.

I'm not going back to re-read the entire series at this point, but my god... what a ride it is.

For anyone who watched the anime, it stops soooo early in comparison to the full terror and loss.
This LATE in the story, we're just passing the sea god, the huge battle of a sea monster versus tons of mermaids and a single man in demon armor. Guts.

But it's the last chapter that sets us up for the truly freaky setup. Epic setup. Falcon, the helix worldtree, and enough big bads to remake the world. :)

One thing is clear: these mangas are something truly special. A labor of love.

[Dream.M · Rating 4 out of 5]

خیلی مسخره اس ولی اون پری های دریایی واقعا عالی بودن

[Baal Of · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't even know if I actually like this series anymore. At this point I feel like I'm just reading it because I'm committed to the end. But who knows when that's going to happen. The story seems like it just meanders now, with no clear arc. The artwork is still gorgeously detailed, and when Miura bothers to create a new monster, it is generally interesting, but gone are lengthy gory fights, and I miss them. There is a bit of gore, but it's sparse. I really wish he would just figure out how to wrap this thing up.

[Zahra Naderi · Rating 4 out of 5]

اون تیراندازِ گروه شاهین که شبیه پیترپنِ هم خوب چیزیه.

[Himanshu Karmacharya · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is great to see how far we have come at this point, seeing Guts take on a literal God this time. Miura has risen in both artwork and storytelling from the initial volumes and has been consistently amazing, so far.

[Drew Canole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sea god came out of the island, pretty much destroying it. But the merrows have appeared attacking the sea god. Isma's mother is there and helps turn Isma into a merrow (her real form). Guts with Schierke's luminous body are attacking the heart of the god. But the heartbeat is so loud Guts can barely move - but the merrows use sound as a form of attack and the cancels out the heart beat allowing Guts to do his thing.

After the sea god is defeated Guts is stuck inside drowning in blood with Schierke unable to reach him. The seamen try to help rescue him along with the merrows. A luminous boy of sorts comes and helps guide him, I think its the projection of that mysterious boy that Schierke thinks is the Elf king.

Then we get a long flash-back "Spring Flowers of Distant Days" scene of Guts before his prime. Captured as a POW. It's awesome. At one point he's in a prison cell and meets an elf. He attempts to help her by moving her flower to a field outside.

Later we see Rickert and Erica making their way to Falconia followed by trolls. They get rescued by the Archer monster.

[Juho Pohjalainen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guts gets to beat the shit out of an ocean god, followed by a flashback. There's honestly not all that much left to say about the story. Too much emotional buildup, taking far too long to pay off.

[P.E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Évolutions

Affrontement du dieu marin face à la troupe de Guts et le peuple merrow.
Une section tout à fait inattendue et bienvenue sur des souvenirs de jeunesse de Guts, vécus au cours de sa vie de mercenaire, où il apprend au prix fort de sérieuses leçons de vie...

Notre chemin croise aussi celui de Rickert, rescapé de l'ancienne bande du Faucon, aisni qu'Erika, la fille adoptive du vieux forgeron Godo, qui tous deux prennent la route de la nouvelle capitale Falconia.


"Peut-être est-ce justement parce qu'on vit sur des champs de bataille pourris où on massacre et on se fait massacrer qu'un jour, quelque part... On rencontrera peut-être quelqu'un... des gens... des frères d'armes pour qui il vaille la peine de risquer sa peau."

[Agnese Rosengren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rivedere Gatsu ragazzino ha fatto un certo effetto, non lo posso negare.

[Zara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5.

[jzmcdaisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a surprisingly touching volume. I didn’t realize how touching and tragic Guts’ experience as a young merc was until I read this. Granted, it also raises a lot of questions about Moonboy and why Guts and Casca’s child is a Flower Storm Monarch-whatever that means.

Having killed the sea god and been rescued by the merrow, Guts has a flashback power nap. He recalls being a young merc and being forced to travel with other slaves. He’s shown mercy by an old man and an elf. I loved this section because in spite of his trauma and trust issues, there were still good souls who reached out to Guts and kept him going. It was touching to see him revisit these memories after such an intense battle.

I also enjoyed seeing Erica and Rickert return and discover that the new band of the Hawk is full of apostles.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chich. 😭

[Viv (vivianneslibrary) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️

[Seb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm pretty nervous about the ending coming so soon.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

The art is just.....everything

[Collin Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Has one of the best mini stories in the whole series

[bailey elizabeth smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️

battle….EMOTIONAL DAMAGE…battle

[Newton Nitro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terminei uma releitura completa do mangá Berserk, incluindo os volumes 36 a 37 que ainda não tinha lido antes. Não é por menos que a saga é um dos mangás mais bem sucedidos de todos os tempos, pelo menos dentro do segmento Seinen (mangás feitos para o público mais adulto). E nessa releitura, foquei mais no modo como seu autor, o mestre Kentaro Miura, constrói a narrativa, unindo, na melhor tradição japonesa dos mangás de fantasia, trama, criação de mundos e desenvolvimento de personagens.

Para quem ainda não conhece essa obra impressionante, Berserk é uma história de fantasia brutal e épica, focada na vida de um mercenário chamado Guts e sua jornada de vingança em um mundo de fantasia inspirado na Europa Medieval e nos Reinos Muçulmanos e Indianos da Idade Média.

A arte, que já é muito boa no começo, evolui muito ao longo da saga, assim como a narrativa. A saga é dividida em vários arcos narrativos, e segue uma estrutura de jornada de vingança, ou seja, a narrativa é dividida em dois pontos: o pré-trauma, que gera o desejo de vingança, e o pós-trauma, a jornada de vingança em si.

Na primeira parte se dá a caracterização de Guts e dos demais personagens coadjuvantes, além de se levantar todo o mistério de Griffith, a nêmesis do protagonista. A caracterização, as ligações emocionais, a história pessoal de Guts e o modo como ele consegue, pouco a pouco, superar os problemas de seu passado só aumentam o drama e o choque do leitor quando chega o momento do trauma principal da saga, um trauma marcado por uma espécie de segundo nascimento, tanto de Griffith quanto de Guts (onde ele assume completamente a figura do Berserk, o guerreiro furioso).

A saga lida com temas muito contemporâneos, como a natureza maleável do Bem e do Mal dentro de um universo nihilista, sujeito a ser manipulado pela vontade de quem conseguir mais poder, temas como isolamento, companheirismo, lealdade e traição, e do preço do poder, o preço que se paga para um indivíduo se sobrepor a massa da humanidade. Tudo isso embalado em combates emocionantes, muita criatividade na criação dos monstros e o principal, o trabalho de desenvolvimento de personagens.

Desenvolvimento de Personagem: Essa é a lição do sucesso de Berserk, ao meu ver. A saga prova (como o que há de melhor na literatura de fantasia) que dá sim para misturar fantasia épica e brutal com personagens bem desenvolvidos, com vida interior e uma personalidade capaz de quebrar os clichês que muitas vezes amordaçam narrativas fantásticas.

Esse lado humano dos personagens, a fragilidade emocional de Guts, ou a solidão inconcebível de Griffith, só para citar dois exemplos, podem servir de modelos para escritores de fantasia. Definir personagens or suas limitações, e não por seus poderes ou sua habilidades heróicas: acho que é esse o segredo do mestre Keitaro Miura.

Como desenvolver antagonistas: Uma estrutura bem legal de se usar, vindo do Mangá Shonen e Seinen, e que está presente na saga Berserk, é desenvolver os vilões através da revelação de seus passados, seja por meio de flashback ou por diálogos. A motivação dos antagonistas deixa o conflito mais interessante, até mesmo antagonistas que tem pouco tempo de cena (ou que acabam morrendo rapidamente nas mãos de Guts) recebem algum tipo de desenvolvimento.

Terror se cria vagarosamente: Mesmo com a narrativa escalando muito o grau de terror e do fantástico a cada arco, Kentaro Miura introduz o horror em cada segmento lentamente, em um crescendo, o que torna os climaxes compensadores.

Fica a recomendação de leitura.

Depois desse mangá, e de como foi bom essa leitura, parto para Blade of the Immortal, outra mangá seinen fodásico que parei no meio e que quero reler e chegar até o seu final.

E vamos ler quadrinho porque quadrinho é doidimais! :)

[KNIGHT · Rating 5 out of 5]

المراجعة الشاملة للمانجا
الهائج
أفضل عمل قرأته في حياتي إطلاقا , القصة التي لطالما حلمت أن اقرأ قصة بمثل روعتها
بيرسيرك
حيث يمتزج الخيال بالواقع , حيث تتداخل خيوط الحقيقة مع خيوط الوهم
بيرسيرك
حيث للصداقة وجوه , للحب وجوه للتضحية وجوه و للحقيقة أيضا
بيرسيرك
عالم حيث يتعارك العقل مع القلب , الصلابة ضد المشاعر , الكره يطحن الحب , الألم ينخر في جوف الحقيقة الإنسانية , و الهائج يحاول الخروج من دوامة القدر , و الإيمان ينهار أمام الجبروت البشري ليحيى بعدها من جديد بشكل آخر و لون مختلف , أكثر راحة و أقل حقيقة
بيرسيرك
يطرح قضايا أخلاقية شتى
شخص كان سبب دمار العالم , ثم أتى لينقذه , طاغية طغى بقوته و يظهر حلمه و عطفه
الشعب يعيش في رخاء
حيث عالم مليئ بالشخصيات الخيالية التي أحضرها معه
يحمي الشعب من وحوش الظلام لكنك تعرف أنه من أحضرها
شوّه الحقيقة لكنك انت وحدك من يعلمها
اكتسب قوة ملائكية مطلقة اختلطت بكراهية البشر و شيطنة عالم الأرواح
الناس تحبه تمجده تقدسه
وحدك من يعلم الحقيقة
وحدك فقط
اذا قاتلت سينقلب العالم رأسا على عقب
سيجوع الناس
سيموتون في سبيله
مصدر خوفهم هو مصدر أمانهم
ما ذا ستفعل ؟ هل ستترك الحقيقة تموت و تجعل البشر يعيشون ؟
أم هل ستجعل الحقيقة تحيا و ليموت البشر ؟
هل ستخرج العالم من واقعه المحتوم , ليواجه مصيرا اختاره بنفسه مصيرا حيث يقاتل الجميع من أجل الحياة ام تتركهم مع شخص اختار أن يقاتل عنهم ؟
هل تفضل الحياة بالحقيقة أم بالوهم ؟

هنا حيث المشاعر مضطربة , حيث القدر مجهول لكنه محتوم
ماذا اذا لم ترغب بقدرك ؟
ماذا اذا إردت تغييره ؟ هل بإمكانك ؟ هل بإمكانك ان تنجو من دوامة القدر بالمحافظة على بشريتك ؟
بل السؤال الأصعب هل تستطيع المحافظة على إنسانيتك بينما أنت في طريقك للإنتقام ؟ هل تستطيع أن تحمي من تحب بينما أنت في طريقك للإنتقام ممن كنت تحب ؟ لكنك لا تدري أزلت تحبه أم لا !!
من نحن البشر , لماذا نكره ؟ لماذا نحب ؟ و هل الحب الحقيقي موجود؟ ما هو الإيمان ؟ هل يمكن أن يكون مجرد غطاء للخوف من المجهول ؟؟ هل ممكن أن تجد الإيمان الحقيقي في رحلة بين عوالم الأرواح و عوالم البشر !!
أفكار و أفكار يصعب التعبير عنها , ففي 10 آلاف صفحة من الرسم و الكتابة و حبر الدم لن تجد الكثير لتقوله بينما ستجد الكثير لتفكر فيه , ولن تتعافى من الإهتزازات التي ستلحقها الصفحات بروحك , أبدا لن تتعافى
إن كنت ممن يمتلك لغة أنجليزية جيدة فلا تقترب من الترجمة العربية أبدا
هذا المانجا ستتجاوز كل الخطوط الحمراء
وتذكر
المتعة تكمن في الحقيقة
TMT
بعض الموسيقى لقراءة ممتعة
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okLDk...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWVhq...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK2Kh...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT8dN...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtEyy...

مراجعات و اقتباسات لبعض المجلدات
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[Karissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 37th volume in the Berserk series and the sea god arc is finally tied up in this volume.

In addition to the sea god fight being wrapped up, we get a flashback to when Guts was a boy and a young mercenary. He has some mysterious interactions with a flower fairy of sorts. After that we follow Ricket and Erica as they flee monsters and have run in with the Band of the Hawk.

This volume jumped all over the place. I liked that we finally tie back into the main story but didn’t like how much jumping around there was between different stories.

The illustration remains very well done. The story is still intriguing, if a bit fractured. I am not sure where this is all going.

Overall a well done volume in the Berserk series but a bit scattered. I would recommend this manga series to mature readers of fantasy/horror manga.

[Hakan Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has felt like it was going soft a couple of volumes ago, but it looks like the series is starting to get back its edge.

[Tanabrus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carino il tuffo nel passato di Gatsu con il suo primo, allucinatorio incontro con un elfo.
E poi torna in scena Rickert... ma la trama continua a essere ormai lentissima.

[Jeffrey Greek · Rating 4 out of 5]

One day they'll get to that goddamned island. But not today.

[skdjms10 · Rating 3 out of 5]

El flashback de Guts se sintió más Berserk que todo el arco del barco.

[Michael Sorbello · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hellraiser + Conan the Barbarian + Game of Thrones + Ash vs Evil Dead + Elric of Melnibone + Macbeth = Berserk.

Guts is a severely traumatized vigilante that wanders the world, throwing himself into one battle after another in hopes of finding a meaning in the tremendous suffering he's endured. His sword is his only trusted companion and he's consumed by a lust for vengeance. Griffith is a charismatic mercenary with dreams of ending a hundred year war in hopes of attaining his own kingdom. Little do his comrades and enemies know, he's not the flawless hero many believe him to be. When the paths of these two men clash, the entire world drastically evolves around the earth-shattering conflict between their indomitable wills.

A grimdark epic with compelling protagonists, stomach-churning horror, heartbreaking drama and a lovecraftian sense of metaphysical worldbuilding that's as fascinating as it is terrifying. Berserk has been my favorite manga, fantasy story and perhaps favorite story ever made for over a decade now and I was really sad to hear that the man behind the masterpiece passed away earlier this year.
 
Berserk is infamous for being the most gratuitously dark, brutal, shocking and depressing fantasy story ever written, but it is also rich with intense human emotion, philosophical depth, perseverance through unimaginable suffering and horrifyingly realistic depictions of psychological trauma. The series tackles the complex nature of morality vs. primal nature, fate and causality vs. free will, resilience against soulcrushing trauma that would cause most people to become broken or twisted. The definitions of good an evil are blurred beyond recognition, the heroes are just as flawed and capable of terrible deeds as the villains. The lead characters Guts and Griffith consistently challenge these themes and definitions through their shocking yet horrifyingly human actions.
 
This manga has inspired many famous works of art that are popular in today’s media such as the Dark Souls franchise, Final Fantasy, Attack on Titan, Evangelion, Castlevania, as well as countless fantasy novels, comics, manga, movies, tv shows, video games, musicians, artists, illustrators and so much more.
 
Miura inspired me as well and I regard him for being the person who taught me just how influential, meaningful and life changing art and literature can be when I first read his series over a decade ago. He changed the way I view entertainment and taught me how to appreciate the deeper meanings in everything I experience.
 
Berserk is to me what Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings is to millions of others.

Rest In Peace to a legendary man.

***

Above is my completely spoiler free review showing my appreciation for this series and its characters.

Below is a review of the entire series, broken down arc by arc. I originally wrote these individual reviews back during my first reading of the series, so keep that in mind. Each part contains mild spoilers, I would advise not looking any further than the arcs you’re currently reading or have already read.

***

The Black Swordsman Arc: Volumes 1-3

The first arc is only the tip of the iceberg of a very complex, dark and violent tragedy. If you find yourself to be not too impressed with the first volume, I highly recommend reading until at least volume 4 before deciding if this series is for you or not. The first three volumes serve as an interlude to help prepare you for the atrocities to come and may seem somewhat underwhelming in terms of plot, but believe me when I say the payoff is highly rewarding and memorable.

The Black Swordsman arc is awesome for fans returning to the series or rereading the series, but it often gives newcomers the wrong impression. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just extremely different from the rest of the series and it’s set in the middle of the story rather than the beginning. This is done to set the dark tone of the series, bombarding you with shocking and upsetting content to make sure you know what you’re getting into before delving back to the beginning. For newcomers, this arc is a confusing yet exciting sword and sorcery tale of a vengeful barbarian warrior hunting demons in hopes of settling the score with his mortal enemy Griffith, and the evil lovecraftian beings that govern the world from the abyss known only as the Godhand. For returning readers, the Black Swordsman arc is much deeper than it seems, packed with genius foreshadowing, subtle character depth and truly impressive worldbuilding that will probably fly over the heads of newcomers.

Guts seems like a simplistic, edgy anti-hero at first glance, but he's so much more than that. Guts is one of the greatest characters the fantasy genre has to offer. Sigmund Freud could probably write a novel-length psychological analysis of this severely troubled and broken man. Guts is more complex than he leads people to believe as well. He's not a sociopathic antihero, he's a man that has no choice but to lie to himself to keep his emotions from crushing his spirit and getting innocent people involved with his deadly affairs. He's cruel and harsh for the greater good. It's the only way he can keep himself from going insane and continue to put up a good fight against terrifying creatures that are far stronger than he is. There's a bit of a joke in the Berserk community that says that no matter how bad your life might be, Guts will always have it worse. It's really not that hard to believe after you've read a bit of the series. His life was one big catastrophe literally from the moment he was born.

Not to mention his rival Griffith who is equally complex and incredibly rich with psychological depth, but there will be more on that as you delve further in. I would strongly recommend this series for hardcore fans of fantasy and horror, so long as you're prepared to be traumatized for life by the disgustingly harsh nature of its content.

This arc mainly serves to set up a lot of future plot points by introducing us to the Behilit, the God Hand, and the fact that even the demonic apostles are capable of emotions and having a family. Nothing is as it seems and no one is safe or innocent. It might not seem like it in the beginning, but the Black Swordsman arc is arguably one of the most important as it solidifies the themes of struggle, survival and wavering humanity that Guts deals with on a daily basis and sets up the flow of the rest of the story. It peels back the layers and reveals little by little how Guts grew up to be such a mentally broken and morally outraged character. It makes you sympathize with him and understand why he acts the way he does.

***

The Golden Age Arc: Volumes 4-13

The Golden Age Arc is where the story truly begins.

We return to the origins of Guts and learn about the series of battles, traumas and conflicts he gets himself wrapped in one after the other. We get introduced to a wonderfully intense group of mercenaries that go by the name of The Band of the Hawk. Among the Hawks are Casca the hot-headed female warrior, Judeau the smooth talking assassin, Corkus the drunken realist, Pippin the gentle giant, Rickert the blacksmith and of course, the infamous leader of men named Griffith.

Griffith is the most interesting of the motley crew as he is very complex and unpredictable. He has a playful side, a merciless side, a charismatic side and a childish yet vulnerable side. He can't be put into any single category. The gallant and elegant master of the sword has more layers than an onion. His brotherly rivalry with Guts is also a lovely and dementedly joyful sight to behold. This is the major turning point of the series and it only gets better and better from here.

After a life of grief and trauma, Guts reluctantly joins Griffith on his quest to attain his own kingdom while simultaneously struggling to come to terms with his own identity. We get to see a side of Guts we’ve never experienced up until this point. We see his vulnerability, his wounded soul, his ability to show affection to others, his role as a battle commander, and his blossoming relationships with Casca and Griffith; the two people who end up having the biggest impact on his entire life for very different reasons.

This is the arc that has the most in common with Game of Thrones, focusing on personal character dramas rather than constant brutal battles, action and lovecraftian horror being thrown at you left and right. While the battles and action sequences in Berserk are amazing, where it truly shines are its quiet moments of vulnerability where we get to see the most raw, heart-wrenching and introspective emotions of the severely damaged cast of protagonists.

Guts is an unstoppable badass, but he constantly suffers and contemplates his meaning in life. His sheer strength and relentless rage can’t hide the wounded little boy deep inside him. Casca is more fierce than most male soldiers on the battlefield and she has an attitude to match, so when we see her more feminine and loving side it makes her complex journey of self-realization all the more powerful. Griffith is a godlike war hero that millions of people worship, yet he has the deepest flaws, insecurities and inner darkness than any other character in the entire series. Most of all, they’re painfully human. These three represent the absolute best and absolute worst in all of us. That’s what makes them equally compelling, empathetic and utterly repulsive at times.

After an incredible display of war, romance, political drama, moral and philosophical musings, heartbreaking trauma, fascinating worldbuilding and chilling foreshadowing, the Golden Age arc ends on the single most shocking, depressing and mind blowing finale I’ve ever witnessed in a fantasy story. The Eclipse marks the major turning point in the story from Game of Thrones style medieval drama to the lovecraftian nightmare fest that we only get a small taste of in the Black Swordsman arc.

***

The Lost Children Arc: 14 - 16

Ah, the end of the Golden Age and the beginning of the Age of Darkness. This is where the horror elements of Berserk are dialed up to the absolute extreme. You thought the story was gruesome and horrifying before? You haven't seen anything yet. The Lost Children arc is not only arguably the most gruesome of them all, but it also completely wrecks your emotions as well. The relationship between Guts and Jill shows us that Guts is still in touch with his human side after the atrocities of the Black Swordsman arc may have convinced us otherwise. It solidifies his bond with his unlikely companion Puck, explores the lasting effects of trauma inflicted on him by the Eclipse and by Casca's heartbreaking condition and there's a rollercoaster of action, horror and small glimpses of hope in a sea of darkness. I've always loved how Jill and Puck brought Guts's humanity back to the surface after being stuck in such a devastating and harmful state for so long. This arc also humanizes the act of becoming an apostle which adds a layer of emotional depth to their depraved existence and makes the antagonists feel like more than simple fodder for Guts to slash through.

The Lost Children arc feels a bit underwhelming in a few areas compared to the shocking finale of the Golden Age arc, but the ending of this arc finishes with quite a few shockers of its own to bring back the hype and despair of the series. This arc is one of my favorites for a few reasons. It shows that apostles can be victims in their own right by exploring the sad life of Rosine who only sought to escape abuse and had to resort to inhumane methods to bring this about. This is made further relatable by contrasting her situation with that of Jill's as she's also severely abused by her father and wants nothing more than to escape from that life.

It also shows that Guts still has a human side. Despite how broken and full of hate and bloodlust he is, he still cares for Jill and throws himself in harm's way multiple times to protect her. Considering how tragic and terrifying Guts's childhood was, it's not too surprising that he would have a soft spot for kids that also happen to be suffering from abuse.

After the arc is done, we're thrown into another great arc which introduces us to the Holy Iron Chain Knights. Farnese and Serpico are fascinating characters, Azan is a cool guy and the shadiness of the group as a whole raises a lot of red flags. Guts and Puck also become much closer during this time which solidifies their companionship.

The Lost Children arc is often written off as a short filler mini-arc, but I think it serves its purpose more than well in just 3 volumes.

***

The Conviction Arc: 17 - 21

My favorite arc of Berserk in many ways.

The amount of story packed into these few volumes is incredible. Griffith is manipulating people's dreams from the beyond while a plague ravages the entire country. The people see this as a sign that the foretold messiah will soon come to save the world from darkness when really it's just Griffith leading them to believe that. After being visited by an omen in his dreams, Guts decides to return to Casca after not seeing her for two years because he's been going on a murderous rampage. After the tragic outcome of the Lost Children arc, Guts begins to accept that his quest for vengeance is futile, and that there are more important things in his life than violence.

This is where the arc gets really emotional. Figuratively speaking, Guts receives the harsh scolding and the much-needed therapy he's needed for a long time from Godo the blacksmith. Rickert, Erika and Puck are also there to knock some sense back into Guts's thick skull, giving him the mental and emotional support and guidance he desperately needed to get back on his feet after the tragedy of the eclipse. After regaining his compassion and conviction, Guts sets out to find the missing Caska, the woman who set the spark on his self-destructive quest in the first place to try and redeem his life from all the horrible things he’s been through and all the detestable things he’s done in the name of love.

We're then introduced to a horrifying priest that loves unreasonable torture, genocide and bashing people's brains out with a bible. The Holy Iron Chain Knights mean business and there's tragedy and death all over the world. Guts's path to redemption, the mad religion dedicated to a false messiah, the foreshadowing of Griffith's return, this arc is packed full of all kinds of heavy emotions.

On top of all the heart-wrenching emotions in this arc, it’s also by far the most terrifying. Religious tyranny, satanic orgy cults, cannibalism do to starvation, extreme torture methods using real historical tools such as the Judas Cradle, breaking wheels, rack torture, flaying and burning at the stake, etc. And that’s just a small taste.

We’re introduced to a group of prostitutes with strong character development. Luca is a saint and Nina is a sinner, yet Luca brings everyone together and loves them all unconditionally. Though she’s a prostitute, she has more love, kindness and motherly instinct in her than the entirety of the Holy Iron Chain Knights and their religious order which makes me respect her character a lot.

Overall an explosive arc that’s equally horrifying and beautiful. It has one of the most satisfying reunions and redemption plots of all time.

***

The Millennium Falcon Arc: Volumes 22-35

After the shocking ending of the previous arc, Griffith returns to the spotlight once more.

This is the most complex arc of the series as it's split into multiple perspectives which hasn’t really been done up until this point. Guts has reunited with his beloved Casca and her mind is still in shambles from the trauma she experienced during the Eclipse. With a new band of loyal companions at his side, Guts begins to learn how to trust, grow and love as he once did during his time in the Band of the Hawk while struggling to reconcile with his inner darkness and his hatred towards his former friend Griffith.

Schierke is a young witch that serves to explain the more magical, fantastical and metaphysical elements of the world of Berserk while aiding Guts’s crew in their journey to fight against the alarming uprising of demonic creatures overrunning the land.

The Kushan Empire has risen to power and is waging war with the unguarded kingdom of Midland. As if the deadly plague, religious crusades and rampant demon invasions weren’t enough, Emperor Ganishka of the Kushan Empire is making life an even greater hell for anyone that’s in his path of conquest.

Griffith is back in the human world, building an army of knights, demons, apostles and any other willing companions in his journey to 'save' the world from war to fulfill his dream of attaining his own kingdom no matter the sacrifices and immoral actions he must commit to make his dream a reality.

Not my favorite arc, but definitely the most chaotic, action-packed and lore heavy of them all. The fantasy, paranormal and existential elements of the story really ramp up in this arc and there’s all kinds of mindblowing chaos at work.

***

The Fantasia Arc: Volumes 36-41

It’s difficult to review this arc because it was left unfinished after the author’s untimely passing.

The Fantasia arc marked another major turning point of the series. If Lost Children and Conviction were the age of darkness, this was the beginning of the age of misguided light. Griffith changed the world in truly remarkable ways, both fascinating and terrible.

Guts and his crew set out to Elf Island to restore Casca’s memories before deciding how to settle the score with Griffith once and for all. The arc was tying up loose ends at a very nice pace, answering questions that many readers have been contemplating since the beginning of the series such as the identity of Skull Knight, the origins of the God Hand, Griffith true motives, how Casca confronts her trauma, the purpose of the Berserker Armor, Guts finding the answer to his life’s purpose, the secret history and lore of the greater universe and much more.

Just as the arc was heading for a climactic buildup to the finale, it ends on a tear jerking cliffhanger that serves as the untimely ending of the series as a whole. It’s a shame that Miura’s masterpiece wasn’t able to be finished, but he’s created the most influential manga of all time that heavily impacted millions of reads and thousands of artists all over the world.

***

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[Gab Santana · Rating 4 out of 5]

adoro ver o desenvolvimento do guts. revisitar o período dele criança traz uma perspectiva de esperança dentro de todas essas batalhas sanguinárias. esse volume é pra deixar ainda mais explícito que berserk é uma obra de compaixão e jornada pra ser alguém melhor. gosto do desenvolvimento que ta rolando

[Katelyn Maimone · Rating 4 out of 5]

i’ve said it once (a million times) and i’ll say it again (and a million times more), poor poor guts. his ENTIRE life, all he’s known is pain and sadness and heartbreak. he has NEVER known peace and i’m so sad for him. if this book doesn’t end with him in a meadow taking a peaceful nap where he is safe and happy then im gonna scream

[M. Ashraf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Berserk
Volume#37
Collected issues: 325-333
Kentaro Miura

Gutts ending the sea-monster/god
More mermaid action and gutts rescue
Gutts boyhood life was interesting
Flower spirit elf was sooooooo cute
And we get to see Falconia again

[atlas]

fuck falconia lol